Written Answers Wednesday 22 August 2007

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding and support has been given to the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs nationally in the last three financial years.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has supported the Scottish Association of Young Farmers (SAYFC) through the Unified Voluntary Sector Fund for Children, Young People and Families by providing £197,240 in total from April 2004 to March 2007 (£65,240 for 2004-05, £66,000 for 2005-06 and £66,000 for 2006-07).

Agriculture

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding and support has been given to clubs in the west of Scotland affiliated to the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs in the last three financial years.

Adam Ingram: Funding is provided to support youth work organisations nationally. The Scottish Government provided headquarters grant funding to the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) of £197,240 from April 2004 to March 2007 (£65,240 for 2004-05, £66,000 for 2005-06 and £66,000 for 2006-07). However, no support is provided directly to individual clubs.

British Sign Language

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will increase the number of people learning British Sign Language.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government established the British Sign Language (BSL) and Linguistic Access Working Group in 2000 and it has been working within a strategic plan since then to deliver improved access for deaf people. There is chronic under capacity to deliver many of the required improvements and the group have identified the long term targets necessary to achieve them. These targets include systematically increasing the pool of BSL teachers available, particularly at advanced levels of BSL and developing a coherent progression route for BSL learners.

  The Scottish Government has funded in the past and continues to fund a number of initiatives to increase the numbers of people learning BSL. A major project has been supported since 2004 to build the numbers of teachers of BSL who can then train others to teach. The Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters leads on this and the first ever Graduate Certificate in the Training of the Trainers of BSL Tutors is being delivered by Heriot-Watt University with the first graduates due to complete this year. Consideration is currently being given to how the impact of this pioneering course can be best harnessed. We understand that the Scottish Qualifications Authority will have in place a Professional Development Award in tutoring British Sign Language by early next year.

  Funding has been provided for two voluntary organisations to enable them to have their BSL qualifications credit rated onto the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) so that BSL learners become part of the national framework. This was achieved by one organisation in June 2007 and the other continues to work towards it.

  A number of smaller initiatives have been supported, such as offering BSL tuition in schools, and the Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the BSL and the Linguistic Working Group and with other partners to increase the learning of BSL at all educational levels. Responsibility for increasing the numbers of BSL learners resides with a number of partner agencies outside of the government, such as the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the Scottish Funding Council. The government will work proactively with these agencies in addition to continuing to collaborate closely with the member organisations of the working group which already provide much of the current BSL tuition taking place in Scotland.

Culture

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase funding for theatre.

Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2577 on 20 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottishparliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for a fatal accident inquiry there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriffdom and also showing the number of refused requests.

Frank Mulholland QC: Statistics are not collated for the number of requests for Fatal Accident Inquiries.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatal accident inquiries have been handled by the Crown Office in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriffdom.

Frank Mulholland QC: The number of fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) recorded as completed in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database in each sheriffdom for each of the last five financial years is shown in the following table.

  Fatal Accident Inquiries Completed: 2002-07

  

Sheriffdom
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
16
11
7
8
5


Grampian Highland and Islands
12
12
17
22
12


Lothian and Borders
3
7
12
7
2


North Strathclyde
6
3
11
3
1


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
10
9
11
15
6


Tayside, Central and Fife
11
13
15
16
9



  Note: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service completed an upgrade of its electronic case management system in April 2002. Only case records created after that date contain complete data which is capable of electronic analysis.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been from receipt of a request for a fatal accident inquiry to authorisation in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriffdom.

Frank Mulholland QC: Statistics are not collated for the length of time between a request for an fatal accident inquiry (FAI) and an FAI being instructed.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been from authorisation of a fatal accident inquiry to the first court hearing in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriffdom.

Frank Mulholland QC: Statistics are not collated for the length of time between the date when Crown Counsel or a Procurator Fiscal instructs that a fatal accident inquiry should be held and the date of the first court hearing.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time has been from authorisation of a fatal accident inquiry to determination in each year since 1999, broken down by sheriffdom.

Frank Mulholland QC: Statistics are not collated for the length of time between the Procurator Fiscal instructing a fatal accident inquiry and the sheriff issuing the determination.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were designated by the Crown Office to administer fatal accident inquiries in each year since 1999, broken down by specific role.

Frank Mulholland QC: Statistics are not collated for the number and roles of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) staff involved in the administration of fatal accident inquiries (FAI).

  Experienced legal staff within COPFS investigate all sudden, suspicious, unexplained, unexpected or accidental deaths and present evidence at FAIs.

  In July 2007 the Independent Inspector of Prosecution published A Thematic Report on Liaison in Death Cases. The Inspector reports, at page 89, that he "found no evidence that the work was treated in a second class or secondary way’ and that ‘it tended to be senior staff who dealt with the work.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of administering fatal accident inquiries in each year since 1999.

Frank Mulholland QC: The information requested is not held.

Fatal Accident Inquiries

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the longest period has been between authorisation of a fatal accident inquiry to the determination and report in the last 10 years.

Frank Mulholland QC: Statistics are not collated for the length of time between the Procurator Fiscal instructing a fatal accident inquiry and the sheriff issuing the determination.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will tackle barriers that impede investment in water and sewerage infrastructure delaying housing development.

Stewart Stevenson: The current Scottish Water investment programme has been funded to provide for all anticipated strategic infrastructure development required to facilitate new housing and commercial development. In addition, Scottish Water is making a reasonable cost contribution towards developers costs for new local infrastructure.

  This statement of policy was set out in - Investing in Water Services: Objectives 2006-2014 – on 9 February 2005. This is available as the Explanatory Note to the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 - The Scottish Water (Objectives for 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2010) Directions 2005 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1057/0022201.pdf.

Housing

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2221 by Stewart Maxwell on 30 July 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the figure for the average cost of constructing a home for social rent.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The average cost of constructing a home for social rent during 2006-07 was £117,762. This can be broken down as follows:

  

Average Acquisition Cost
£8,935


Average Works Cost
£96,003


Average Fees
£8,022


Average other Costs
£4,802


Total 
£117,762

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2534 by Stewart Maxwell on 9 August 2007, how ministers will take account of the identified risk that West Dunbartonshire will be unable to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015 in setting their spending priorities for the next spending review period.

Stewart Maxwell: It is for West Dunbartonshire Council rather than ministers to manage any risks identified in its standard delivery plan and to determine how best to fund the investment required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. Communities Scotland continues to provide assistance to the Council with the preparation of its Standard Delivery Plan.

Local Income Tax

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2836 by John Swinney on 14 August 2007, why it does not plan to introduce legislation to implement its commitment to a local income tax until 2008-09.

John Swinney: It is my intention to consult on our proposals for a fairer local tax before we introduce the necessary legislation. That is why the legislation will not be introduced to Parliament until 2008-09.

NHS Finance

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the Facey review of the Arbuthnott Formula for resource allocation for NHSScotland.

Shona Robison: I understand that the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee is currently finalising its report and will be submitting it to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing over the next few weeks. No decisions have yet been made on publication.

Nutrition

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average consumption of milk has been in each year since 1980, broken down by socio-economic group.

Shona Robison: I am informed by the Food Standards Agency Scotland (FSAS) that there is no single data set that provides information on the average consumption of milk by socio-economic group between 1980 and the present time. Thus, data on the average consumption of milk by socio-economic group was obtained from the National Food Survey of GB, which only provides information up to the year 2000. The data is not Scotland specific.

  The data from 1980 up to the year 2000 is provided in table 1 by seven income groups (A, B, C, D, E1, E2 and Old Age Pensioners (OAP)). Households with one or more earners are categorised into groups A to D. Those in group A earn more than those in group D. Households without an earner are categorised into either group E1 or E2, with those in group E1 earning more than those in group E2.

  Table 1 Household Consumption of Whole Milk and Skimmed Milks (Per Person, Per Week) by Income Group of Head of Household in Great Britain

  

Year
(ml)
Socio-Economic Status


A
B
C
D
E1
E2
OAP
All Households


2000
Whole milk 
479
531
629
895
684
955
921
665


 
Skimmed milk 
1,136
1,081
1,077
1,057
1,486
1,153
1,424
1,138


1999
Whole milk 
363
489
652
888
628
976
885
634


 
Skimmed milk 
1,127
1,150
1,030
1,026
1,459
1,015
1,268
1,125


1998
Whole milk 
503
579
658
791
657
1,070
982
693


 
Skimmed milk 
1,171
1,091
1,047
1,018
1,471
1,009
1,260
1,110


1997
Whole milk 
478
533
715
953
802
1,095
982
712


 
Skimmed milk 
1,016
1,172
1,102
1,098
1,331
1,019
1,247
1,136


1995
Whole milk 
541
653
793
1,092
1,049
1,001
1,092
812


 
Skimmed milk 
1,156
1,134
1,082
931
1,305
1,005
1,160
1,103


1993
Whole milk
604
703
895
1,052
1,069
1,240
1,322
898


 
Skimmed milk 
1,205
1,124
971
867
1,308
798
1,008
1,031


1990
Whole milk
938
1,102
1,271
1,491
1,388
1,471
1,649
1,232


 
Skimmed milk 
892
762
648
515
999
593
559
709


1989
Whole milk 
1,105
1,232
1,358
1,512
1,702
1,696
1,832
1,376


 
Skimmed milk 
794
722
544
457
806
505
438
622


1988
Whole milk 
1,167
1,393
1,545
1,639
1,695
1,794
1,893
1,513


 
Skimmed milk 
763
588
459
339
685
375
440
527


1985
Whole milk 
1,648
1,722
1,911
2,017
2,101
2,077
2,282
1,888


 
Skimmed milk 
344
316
217
104
280
152
230
244


1980
Whole milk 
2,390
2,335
2,312
2,276
2,678
2,534
2,592
2,364


 
Skimmed milk 
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------
---------

Pre-School Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional revenue will be made available to South Lanarkshire Council as a result of the extension of pre-school nursery provision.

Adam Ingram: South Lanarkshire Council will receive an additional £818,000 in 2007-08 to fund the increase in hours of pre-school education. An indicative increase of a further £410,000 has been provisionally allocated for 2008-09, giving a total increase of £1,228,000 over the current funding levels. The indicative increase for 2008-09 may change as a result of the recalculation of the local government finance settlement following the Spending Review.

Rail Services

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its annual subsidy to First ScotRail has been in each year since it was awarded the contract to operate rail services.

Stewart Stevenson: The following table details the payments made to First ScotRail Limited since 4 October 2004 when the current franchise agreement commenced. All figures are based on the franchise payment amounts specified in the franchise agreement adjusted, which allows for adjustments for price indexation, performance penalties or payments and variations or changes made to the agreement. The SRA and SPT were responsible for franchise payments during 2004-05 and the early part of the 2005-06 years.

  

2004-05
2005-06
2006-07


£102,855,123
£184,711.497
£282,106,973

Rail Services

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any study into the effect of rail fare pricing on passenger numbers.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is currently reviewing fare policy objectives. Evidence is being gathered to inform this review and research into the effect of rail fare pricing on passenger numbers is likely to be included in this work.

School Meals

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1188 by Adam Ingram on 13 July 2007, which Glasgow primary schools will be involved in the free school meals pilot.

Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2128 on 9 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Smoking

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce further restrictions on people smoking in public.

Shona Robison: Scottish smoke-free legislation, already one of the most comprehensive in the world, has only been in place for 18 months. Although the Scottish government remains committed to reducing the impact of tobacco on Scotland’s health, there are currently no plans to introduce further restrictions to the legislation.

Tourism

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve industry confidence in visitscotland.com.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2668 on 21 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Voluntary Organisations

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the demographic breakdown is of those entering the ProjectScotland programme.

John Swinney: ProjectScotland is a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity whose aims and objectives are to promote the welfare and relieve the needs of the population in Scotland by encouraging and assisting young people to provide their skills and services voluntarily to charitable organisations.

  ProjectScotland seeks to match the demographic pattern of its volunteers to that of the population at large.

  Full information about the work of Project Scotland is available from its Chief Executive at 49 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL.

Warm Deal

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses on the Warm Deal programme in each year from 1999 to 2006 received only cavity wall insulation.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses benefiting from the Warm Deal programme had all the measures on offer installed in each year from 1999 to 2006.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2641 on 21 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.